Thursday, December 18, 2014

South Korea Constitution Court Orders Dissolution of Pro-North Korea Party

Pic. 1. The President of the Constitutional Court announcing the judgement

In December 18th, 2014, South Korea's constitutional court ordered the dissolution of a leftist political party named Tonghab-jinbo hounded by claims of pro-North Korea views. The court came to the conclusion with eight ayes and one nay on this matter. It is very rare for a democratic government to dissolute a political party.

Pic. 2. The bottom slide says "The party's liberal democracy is similar to
North Korea's anti-South Korea revolutionary strategy."

The party was contently suspected for having ideologies and members of supporting North Korean style socialist systems and ultimately posing a threat to liberal democracy and sovereignty of South Korea.

Pic 3. Sukgi Lee, a member of Tonghab-jinbo Party, being transported.

The request to fully investigate this political party came in November 2014, when Sukgi Lee, a member of this party was arrested and accused for allegedly plotting rebellions and terrorism to overthrow the South Korean government in the event on the Korean Peninsula.

Pic. 4. A TV screen capture saying "Tonghab-jinbo Part dissoluted!
Legal dissolution of party for the first time in the Constitutional government."

This disbanded leftist party was founded in late 2011 with a merge of several progressive labor and liberal parties. As the dissolution of this party was announced, the party now faces the following orders:

All five lawmakers of this party are to be deprived of their seats

There will be an another election for these empty seats

The party no longer exists anymore.

All remaining governmental budgets and party's properties must be returned.

All bank accounts for this party is now on seize.

No similar political parties can be organized.

Pic. 5. Overly excited conservative patriots

On the other hands, majority of people opposing to this decision claims that such decision may can harm South Korean democracy since it does not guarantee the activities of citizens' political activities. However, the court says liberal democracy cannot be destroyed by the enemies hiding in the shadow of it. In addition, the court provided the exemplary case of Germany in 1952 which ordered dissolution of Nazism-like political party.